Why is single person double the price of double occupancy?

[Eragon666]

Just debarked a few days ago, but looking to board again :) 

I might go all on my own, so I was looking at current pricing. But it seems like single occupancy is at a much higher price, for example:

17 oct - 24 oct 2021 on Harmony of the seas a Guaranteed state room balcony is 597 per person for 2 (1194 total)
Same date but 1 guest, Balcony has no guaranteed state rooms available and balcony pricing is starting from 2320 euro. 

 

I would understand if you would pay 150% or 200% for single occupancy, but paying for 4 guests seems a little bit too much? 

 

Is there a way to go cheaper on a single cruise? Or should I just book for 2 persons and cancel one at the end?

Thanks! 

 

[dplusd]

You could always book for two guest and let the second guest be a no-show at the pier.

 

 

[Sunshine3601]

Suggest you book for 2 passengers then have the guest be a no show and after the sailing they will refund you the port fees and taxes for the 2nd guest.    

At least that is how they do it with US sailings. 

[MeHeartCruising]

42 minutes ago, Eragon666 said:

Just debarked a few days ago, but looking to board again 🙂

I might go all on my own, so I was looking at current pricing. But it seems like single occupancy is at a much higher price, for example:

17 oct - 24 oct 2021 on Harmony of the seas a Guaranteed state room balcony is 597 per person for 2 (1194 total)
Same date but 1 guest, Balcony has no guaranteed state rooms available and balcony pricing is starting from 2320 euro. 

 

I would understand if you would pay 150% or 200% for single occupancy, but paying for 4 guests seems a little bit too much? 

 

Is there a way to go cheaper on a single cruise? Or should I just book for 2 persons and cancel one at the end?

Thanks! 

 

 

I know it's not for when you currently want to sail, but you can find cruises where solo pricing is more sensible.  There is currently a 60% off the second person's fare.  For one person, they don't seem to be applying that to your October cruise for some reason.  However, in September 2022, on the Brilliance of the Seas' 7 Night Greek Isles Cruise (25 Sept 2022), I have booked a solo balcony cabin that did get discounted 60% for the second person fare, which since going solo, did decrease the price a little.  I also qualify for a balcony cabin discount and because I'm over age 55 they discounted it even more to my surprise.  I'm paying only $1812 for a solo in a balcony cabin on a 7 day cruise.  I'll take that.  I also booked the next week as a back-to-back for $1747.  

 

So you might want to look for your 2022 cruises and put a deposit down on something during this current sale.

[smplybcause]

Royal often doesn't allow solos to book GTY rates - for whatever reason. Like someone else said you can do the no-show route. 

 

Or search around for different sailings with better solo rates. There's some sites out there that do that. 

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

Some other things to think about for solo fares. For a solo, studio cabins receive one point per night, standard double occupancy cabins receive two points per night and junior suites and above receive three points per night.  Currently, there is a double points promo for sailings through Dec. 2022 if you book by Sept. 30.

 

I have had my advertised book on board OBC reduced in the past when making a solo booking.  Not sure if this still applies under the current scheme for OBC on Next Cruise bookings.

[beshears]

It is possible that I might wind up without someone in my room, as the one that was to be with me, had health issues and had to cancel out.  In my over 15 cruises, I have always had someone in my room. I will have at least 6 other family members with me, so that will help if no one is in my room.  So this part is new to me. I have booked/paid for the 4 balcony rooms.  If I don't have someone in my room, how do I go about getting paid back the port fees and taxes? I booked through an agency here where I live. Do they handle that, or do I go through RCL directly?

[smplybcause]

It's automatically refunded when they no show....eventually. 

 

You might have to call to make sure you get the right points for the sailing. 

[Eragon666]

Thanks for all the answers.

Do you get the full solo-sailer points (2 or 4 now with the double points), if the second person has a no show?

[nelblu]

37 minutes ago, beshears said:

It is possible that I might wind up without someone in my room, as the one that was to be with me, had health issues and had to cancel out.  In my over 15 cruises, I have always had someone in my room. I will have at least 6 other family members with me, so that will help if no one is in my room.  So this part is new to me. I have booked/paid for the 4 balcony rooms.  If I don't have someone in my room, how do I go about getting paid back the port fees and taxes? I booked through an agency here where I live. Do they handle that, or do I go through RCL directly?

You missed a sale during the last week of August and first week of September as  double occupancy was being sold as a solo.   Saved myself some $500 on my January Allure cruise.

[Biker19]

39 minutes ago, Eragon666 said:

Do you get the full solo-sailer points (2 or 4 now with the double points), if the second person has a no show?

Most of the time, yes.

[Twolittleboys]

At the moment there are still some decent solo prices around. For example, if you are slightly flexible you could do Harmony from Rome on October 14 and it would be Euro 665 in an oceanview or 853 with balcony. Much better prices than normally.

[ONECRUISER]

2 hours ago, smplybcause said:

Royal often doesn't allow solos to book GTY rates - for whatever reason. Like someone else said you can do the no-show route. 

 

Or search around for different sailings with better solo rates. There's some sites out there that do that. 

Usually, did once about 4yrs ago

[beshears]

Onecruiser, when you say GTY rates, does that stand for guarantee rates? All I can tell you is I booked 4 balcony rooms, and paid for ALL of them, and I have no clue if they were guaranteed or not, as my cruise agent where I live got them for me. I just didn't know how it works if someone is a no show in my room, as that has never happened to me before.

Nelblu, I'm sorry I missed the sale, but I had no clue until just now that I would be cruising solo, as these 4 rooms were purchased over a couple months ago.

Someone mentioned "points", but I have no clue what your talking about.

[MeHeartCruising]

32 minutes ago, beshears said:

Onecruiser, when you say GTY rates, does that stand for guarantee rates? All I can tell you is I booked 4 balcony rooms, and paid for ALL of them, and I have no clue if they were guaranteed or not, as my cruise agent where I live got them for me. I just didn't know how it works if someone is a no show in my room, as that has never happened to me before.

Nelblu, I'm sorry I missed the sale, but I had no clue until just now that I would be cruising solo, as these 4 rooms were purchased over a couple months ago.

Someone mentioned "points", but I have no clue what your talking about.

 

 

Yes, GTY means Guarantee cabin pricing mechanism.  When you by a GTY cabin, you do not get to pick a specific cabin number.  It is assigned to you by the cruise line some time after you do your booking.  So if you or your travel agent did not pick specific cabins, you are in GTY cabins. 
 

The “points” being discussed refers to Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program named “Crown and Anchor”.  Upon completion of each cruise, you get points.  Sometimes they award extra points as part of promotions.  The more points you get, the higher level of perks you get in return. 

Edited September 28, 2021 by MeHeartCruising

[EgeriaTravel]

When I booked my October solo trip, the sale was set up that my 4 night booking with taxes and gratuity was under $350. Play around with the sales, and try different bookings. I had to book this through the Royal Caribbean site, when I tried other sites that were offering onboard credits, I could not get the price I did. 

[brillohead]

10 hours ago, Eragon666 said:

Just debarked a few days ago, but looking to board again 🙂

I might go all on my own, so I was looking at current pricing. But it seems like single occupancy is at a much higher price, for example:

17 oct - 24 oct 2021 on Harmony of the seas a Guaranteed state room balcony is 597 per person for 2 (1194 total)
Same date but 1 guest, Balcony has no guaranteed state rooms available and balcony pricing is starting from 2320 euro. 

 

I would understand if you would pay 150% or 200% for single occupancy, but paying for 4 guests seems a little bit too much? 

 

Is there a way to go cheaper on a single cruise? Or should I just book for 2 persons and cancel one at the end?

Thanks! 

 

Royal's computers can't always figure the "second passenger % off" sale properly if you are only booking for one person.  (Their IT shortcomings are well-known.)
 

For example, on a "second passenger 50% off" sale, if the first person is $1000 then the second passenger is $500.  However, when booking for just one person ($1000), the computer sees a single person and automatically applies the "single supplement" ($1000 additional fare). Because the computer doesn't see a second person, it doesn't apply the 50% off from the sale.

The way to get around this is to actually talk to a human -- either a travel agent or someone in Royal's booking department.  They can apply the sale so that you're only paying the $1500 fare that you'd get with a second person.

You can get around that by booking two people and waiting to have the taxes refunded after the cruise, but you also have to pay a deposit for two people, and if something happens and you have to cancel, the FCC to be refunded will be credited to the two names you put on the original booking -- not all to your name.

[beshears]

MeHeartCruising, thanks for trying to explain to me about the Guarantee of the rooms.  Yes my agent showed me (diagram) where the rooms might be, if I wanted to pick them out, and I did.  So I gather that these rooms are guaranteed rooms?  If that is the case, does that mean if I don't have someone else in my room I cannot get the port fees/taxes, etc. back?

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

8 minutes ago, beshears said:

MeHeartCruising, thanks for trying to explain to me about the Guarantee of the rooms.  Yes my agent showed me (diagram) where the rooms might be, if I wanted to pick them out, and I did.  So I gather that these rooms are guaranteed rooms?  If that is the case, does that mean if I don't have someone else in my room I cannot get the port fees/taxes, etc. back?

You Selected and booked specific room numbers and they show in your reservation, that is not a guaranty booking.  Guaranty means that you will be assigned a cabin later that is no less the category that you paid for, and sometimes upgraded from the category that you purchased.

 

To the best of my knowledge, a ni show is refundable taxes whether you picked your specific cabin number or booked a guaranty.

[brillohead]

A "guaranty" room on a cruise kinda means the opposite of what you're thinking.  

If you chose a particular room number from a set of available rooms, that is not what is called a "GTY' room... even though you are essentially guaranteed to have that room number (there will on rare occasion be a situation where there will be damage to the room and they'll have to move you to a different one while repairs are being made, but 99.999% of the time, you'll get that room number that was assigned at booking).  

In cruising, a GTY room is where you choose a category of room, and you take your chances of what room you'll actually be assigned by the cruise line.  This type of booking is typically a bit cheaper than when you pick your own room number.  The meaning behind the word "guaranty" is that by choosing this type of booking, you are guaranteed to receive a room that is at minimum the same category that you have chosen. 

 

For example, if you choose a "balcony guaranty" room, you will get at least a balcony room, with the chance of being assigned a higher category room (junior suite or actual suite).  If you choose an "OV guarantee" you will at least get a room with an oceanview window, or you could also get a balcony room or something else higher. If you book a balcony guaranty, you're not going to be placed in an inside or window-only room.  

For people who want to save a few bucks and aren't at all particular about where on the ship their room is located, booking a GTY room can save them some money.  For people who want their room to be on a certain deck or in a particular part of the ship, a GTY room is not a good choice.

[beshears]

Thank you for the "explanation" of a guaranteed room. This part is a new ball game for me, as for the over 15 cruises I have been blessed to be on, I didn't pick the "exact" room, only my TA would make the suggestion from the area, decks, that I might tell her I would like to be on.

[nelblu]

On 9/27/2021 at 8:39 PM, beshears said:

 

Nelblu, I'm sorry I missed the sale, but I had no clue until just now that I would be cruising solo, as these 4 rooms were purchased over a couple months ago.

 

Many of us on CC were not aware of this sale and it was good CC Samaritan that shared the good news.  Some that had already paid in full got OBCs instead of price reductions.

[nelblu]

13 hours ago, brillohead said:

A "guaranty" room on a cruise kinda means the opposite of what you're thinking.  

If you chose a particular room number from a set of available rooms, that is not what is called a "GTY' room... even though you are essentially guaranteed to have that room number (there will on rare occasion be a situation where there will be damage to the room and they'll have to move you to a different one while repairs are being made, but 99.999% of the time, you'll get that room number that was assigned at booking).  

In cruising, a GTY room is where you choose a category of room, and you take your chances of what room you'll actually be assigned by the cruise line.  This type of booking is typically a bit cheaper than when you pick your own room number.  The meaning behind the word "guaranty" is that by choosing this type of booking, you are guaranteed to receive a room that is at minimum the same category that you have chosen. 

 

For example, if you choose a "balcony guaranty" room, you will get at least a balcony room, with the chance of being assigned a higher category room (junior suite or actual suite).  If you choose an "OV guarantee" you will at least get a room with an oceanview window, or you could also get a balcony room or something else higher. If you book a balcony guaranty, you're not going to be placed in an inside or window-only room.  

For people who want to save a few bucks and aren't at all particular about where on the ship their room is located, booking a GTY room can save them some money.  For people who want their room to be on a certain deck or in a particular part of the ship, a GTY room is not a good choice.

Very good analysis, but I've seen on rare occasions where a guaranty was cheaper than you select your cabin.  Did not make any sense.

[brillohead]

4 hours ago, nelblu said:

Very good analysis, but I've seen on rare occasions where a guaranty was cheaper than you select your cabin.  Did not make any sense.

 

Which is why I said:

 

17 hours ago, brillohead said:

This type of booking is typically a bit cheaper than when you pick your own room number.

Everything is supply/demand driven, and there is a computer algorithm that adjusts pricing based on how things are selling.  I've seen oceanview rooms cheaper than insides, and even neighborhood balconies cheaper than insides and oceanviews (even before applying the CAS discount).  

 

 

[nelblu]

9 hours ago, brillohead said:

 

Which is why I said:

 

Everything is supply/demand driven, and there is a computer algorithm that adjusts pricing based on how things are selling.  I've seen oceanview rooms cheaper than insides, and even neighborhood balconies cheaper than insides and oceanviews (even before applying the CAS discount).  

 

 

Yes, seen those too.  However, I did not realize that you can get a cabin  upgrade of a GTY, eg. from balcony to JS.  I was under the impression that it had to be in the same category

Edited September 30, 2021 by nelblu